This invention relates to a box type contact printer for photographic plate making, and the like.
A conventional vacuum contact printing frame means comprising a lower frame which is provided with an airtight soft sheet, and an upper frame, positioned thereon, which is provided with a transparent plate, wherein the lower and the upper frames are pivotally connected to each other in their rear ends. A photosensitive material such as a photosensitive film or plate and an original picture film or plate which is put thereon, are inserted between the upper and the lower frames and are closely contacted to each other under the vacuum pressure by means of a vacuum means. Then, the printing is carried out by applying the light onto the photosensitive film through the transparent plate.
The printing frame means is covered by a shield box including an exposure light source on its top therein and having a front opening so as to prevent a large quantity of light from leaking out during the printing operation. The front opening of the shield box is also shielded by a curtain during the printing operation.
However, in this kind of the contact printer, when the printing frame means is relatively small, the front opening of the shield box is also small, which is inconvenience and not operative on the occasion of mounting and demounting the original plate and the photosensitive plate.